Much Love, The Mutt
by LilithHonorMartin
Summary: Joey has a hard time putting his feelings onto paper and into words. Puppyshipping, other shippings as well. More info. inside w/ authors note. Adult themes/situations/language. 5-12 chapters possible.
1. Stupid Mutt

"Joey? Joey? HEY! Earth to Joey!" Yugi Moto grabs hold of the young blonds ear, breaking him from his trance.

"What t' heck dude! Don' grab a man's ear like tha', you might just rip it off!" Joey grumbles rubbing his ear, which Yugi had just about detached from his head.

"I'm sorry, but you weren't listening and that's kind of rude, Tèa was talking." Yugi glances at Tèa who had yet notice the two talking next to her.

"…And I just think that it's really important that we stick together. We're friends, and friends stay together, like P.B and J. You guys understand?" Tèa announces and continues her charade without waiting for an answer. "I understand that Kaiba is frustrating, but everyone has bad days and he just needs some time. So I say we all be as friendly as possible and…"

Duke raises his eye brow and snorts, "I'm sorry did I hear you correctly? Friendly? Bad day? Kaiba doesn't have a bad day, he has a bad fucking life and then blows his steam off on us. I think he used the words 'scum' and 'dog like' more than once around Joey, and that's just not cool."

Yugi steps in to aid Tèa in her confrontation of the other duelists. "Tèa's right you guys. Maybe he'll snap out of it with a little kindness."

"I think his head is to far up his ass for any kind of kindness to reach him." Tristan snickers, earning him a stern glare from Tèa.

"Look you guys want to be complete jerks fine. But then stop whining about how mean he is to you." Tèa tucks a strand of short brown hair behind her ear. "Look I have to get back to work… Just remember everyone loves a nice smile!" She smiles just a little harder at this and plants a small kiss on Yugi's cheek. "See you guys!"

"Oh…" Yugi's cheeks flush a deep red, "Yami did you see that?" He squeaks glancing around the table.

Duke and Tristan make gagging noises in unison. "Holy…" Tristan pats the table laughing, "…Shit."

Yami glances at Yugi who looks rather put out by the fact that his friends don't support his relationship. He places a hand kindly on his counterparts hand, "It's okay Yugi. They'll fall in love someday and understand how you feel." Yami hopes his words comfort Yugi, because he doesn't believe them. Since he had gotten his own body, he'd begun to realize just how attached he'd gotten to the little one. Not that he'd ever considered himself gay, actually quite the opposite. He'd had many girlfriends since his resurrection, per say. He had never stayed in them long, for he never really felt the relationship.

Joey watches this interaction curiously, watching Yami run his thumb over Yugi's knuckles. He starts to wonder if anyone will ever do that to him. Absently mindedly he rubs his knuckles lightly.

"Let's go dude, I'm starved and I want to see Serenity." Tristan claps Joey on the shoulder startling him. "Who knows maybe I'll get two in one!" He laughs looking back at Duke who gives him the thumbs up.

"You dirty dog, you." Duke laughs making a suggestive motion.

"Ugh! Shut up, you two, tha's sick! She's my lil' sist'a!" Joey shoves Tristan's hand away, "Jus' stay away, okay?" He stomps away from his friends.

**-x-x-x-**

"I think he really offended him. I feel so bad for Joey, I don't think Duke and Tristan understand how uncomfortable he is when they say things like that." Yugi murmurs in thought. Sitting next to Yami he tucks his legs up under him, brushing Yami's thigh.

"Um, no I think you're right Yugi. I suppose they just don't understand." Yami agrees, unable to think with Yugi unnaturally close, he starts to feel rather closterphobic. "Maybe you should have a talk with the two, before Joey decides he's had en--" Yami's voice cracks, "--ough. Had enough." He finishes after clearing his throat.

"Are you all right?" Yugi asks his friend kindly. "Are you sick? Oh maybe you got that cold I had last week, you shouldn't have slept over. I am so sorry Yami, I'll make it better, I'll take…"

Yami raises his hand in protest, "I'm not sick Yugi, I just had something stuck in my throat. Don't worry about it." The thought of Yugi nursing him back to health made his stomach flip.

**-x-x-x-x-**

Joey trudges through the park near the heart of Domino, looking up into the sky, he watches the little stars twinkle. "Stupid son-of-a-bitches, can't keep it in their pants." He curses. No matter how close he, Tristan, and Duke had become over the years the two still had a lot to know about him. Joey was more protective of his sister than he was of the Chocolate cake in his fridge. Although the two came pretty close, Chocolate cake was in a close second to Serenity.

The blond gulps in the cool air of the night, listening to the crunch of leaves under his feet. He's always loved fall, it's bright colors and the smell of wet grass. Sitting himself comfortably on a park bench, he takes out the letter that he had written in math class. He reads it aloud to himself, to test the sound of it.

"_Dear Moneybags,_

_I love you, the end._

_ Much Love,_

_The Mutt."_

Joey scoffs at his own idiocy, "This is fuckin' stupid bullshit, I can't even write a fuckin' love letter!" He crumples the letter throwing it on the ground. "Lik' he'll pay any attention to tha'."

**&-&-&**

**Authors note:**

I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters in this story, I'm just having a little fun. The story isn't finished and there is a lot more to come, I'm sorry if this story isn't what you were looking for, any constructive criticism is welcome, as are comments. The couple(s)/ages in this chapter are: Tèa Gardner (18) & Yugi Moto (17). Later couple(s)/ages will be: Joey Wheeler (17) & Seto Kaiba (20), Yugi Moto (17) & Pharoah Atem (Yami) (5,000/18), Serenity Wheeler (14) & Mokuba Kaiba (15), possibly Duke Devlin (18) & Tristan Taylor (17), and whoever else I can think of and put together.


	2. Out of the Closet, Mutt

"Jesus fucking Christ." Tristan gnaws on his index fingernail, "Dude can't even take a fucking joke anymore." He looks around to the other duelist sitting comfortably in Yugi Moto's kitchen.

"Joey has been acting strangely." Yugi ponders making a face at Tristan's language.

"He's got a crush." Serenity pipes up, lifting her head from Mokuba's shoulder she smiles knowingly.

Duke snorts while Tristan begins to cackle with laughter, "What's her bra size?" Tristan asks between fits.

Serenity crinkles her nose in disgust, "Ew, Tristan that's disgusting!"

"Well are you going to tell us who it is?" Tèa asks placing a glass of water in front of Yami who had begun to cough madly. Unnoticed by everyone in the room Yugi's hand had brushed his while reaching for Tristan's dinner plate.

"Oh I don't know if I can do that…" Serenity squeaks placing a hand over her delicate mouth. "I shouldn't say."

"C'mon you've gotta tell us her name!" Duke says brushing his hair out of his eyes.

"Him." Serenity corrects curtly glaring at everyone at the table, daring them to make fun of her big brother.

Tristan stares blankly at Serenity, his mouth slightly agape. Yami hand slips from his surprise dropping his water glass to the linoleum floor.

"Are you sure Serenity?" Tèa asks tentatively thinking of the Bible in her bedside table.

Serenity nods feverishly, "There's no doubt about it."

"Well then who is it?" Duke asks struck by how hurt he feels that Joey had never thought to tell him.

**-x-x-x-**

A lonely Joey Wheeler sits in the middle of Domino's biggest park. Having been seated on the bench for the last three hours, writing and rewriting his letter of love to Seto Kaiba he stands and stretches. "Stupid Moneybags, tryin' to make my lif' so damn hard." He stomps the ground angrily. He pulls his latest attempt of a letter of love out of his sweatshirt pocket and checks it over.

"_Dear Seto,_

_You hate me, I love you. Change your fucking mind please._

_Much Love,_

_The Mutt."_

Joey's cell phone shrill ring breaks his thoughts of his crush. Pulling his Sidekick 3 from his pocket he places it to his ear, "'Ello?"

"_Joey, dude, why the hell didn't you tell me?_" Tristan's voices raises with each word, causing Joey to remove the phone from next to his ear.

"I don' know wha' t' hell you're yellin' about." Joey snaps his temper flaring ever so slightly.

"_You should have said_---" Tristan is cut off, "_Joey fuck we're best friends_." Duke yells into the phone pulling it away from Tristan. "_Stupid dick, give me the damn phone_." Tristan growls snatching the phone away from Duke. "_You're gay_." Tristan states rather than asking.

Joey gulps his breathing feeling labored, "Wha'?" He asks stealing time to think of an answer.

"_It's cool dude, just thought you'd tell us_…" Tristan replies unfazed by Joey's answer or lack-there-of.

"Yea' righ' sorry." Joey murmurs, he hangs up without saying goodbye. A sick feeling starts in the pit of his stomach working it's way through his whole body. He looks down at the black phone in his hand, wondering who could have told them. Looking up into the sky he watches the small stars twinkle, "Now wha'?" He asks himself, a sense of relief and fear twisting his stomach. He had never thought about what he'd do if someone found out, he'd always been good at keeping secrets. Pondering over who he had told, he starts to head home to his apartment.

**-x-x-x-x-**

Serenity sits with Mokuba Kaiba in the back of his limo tucked up next to him. He runs his hand up and down her arm affectionately.

"I shouldn't have told them, it's all my fault, he told me he didn't want anyone to know! And I broke his trust, I can't believe that I did that to him. He's going to be so embarrassed!" Serenity nibbles on her lip nervously.

"Don't beat yourself up about it, bunny." Mokuba says affectionately, "I'm sure he would have told them, you just sped up the inevitable. He'll forgive you, he always does. Don't stress out about it." He kisses her forehead intertwining his fingers with hers. She snuggles a little closer to him, wrapping her arm around his waist.

Seto Kaiba had just about had a heart attack when he heard that his younger brother was dating someone from the Wheeler clan. Fortunately for Serenity, she had grown on the older Kaiba and Mokuba was allowed to continue to see her.

"You know, bunny, you never told me who he's so in love with." Mokuba says kissing her nose, "I'm kinda curious."

"Oh, it's nobody really." Serenity reaches up pulling him down for a kiss. Mokuba laughs pecking her lightly on the lips, "Come on Serenity, who is it?"

"Mokie I can't tell you, I've already broken Joey's trust! I don't want to do it again." She presses her finger to her lips, as if vowing her silence on the matter.

"We could work on getting them together, just tell me who it is. You know I won't tell anyone, not even Seto, and I tell him everything."

"You promise not to tell him?"

"Yeah, but I don't think he'll care. He still doesn't really like Joey." Mokuba says after some thought.

"Yes well that's the problem." Serenity pulls on a strand of hair that had fallen into her face coming out of her messy bun.

"Why is it a problem? It just means Seto won't tell anyone, not that he has anyone to really tell. I tried to get him out of the office yesterday and he just about grounded me. He's such a grouch lately, I don't know what's wrong with him. Maybe he's love struck too." Mokuba laughs shaking his head, "But I doubt that."

"He likes Seto." Serenity blurts before she could even think about changing her mind.

Mokuba pulls away from Serenity looking her in the eyes, "Are you serious?"

"Yes." Serenity nods earnestly.

Mokuba nods sitting back in his seat letting Serenity rest her head on his shoulder. "I guess playing match maker for Joey is going to be a little harder than I thought." Mokuba sighs.

"Do you think you can convince Seto to go on a blind date?" Serenity asks crinkling her nose. "I can't see him going on date, does he even know what that is?"

Mokuba shrugs lightly, "I think he went on one, it didn't end well."

"Oh why is that?" Serenity asks curiously.

"I don't really know what happened, all I know is that he ended up leaving the girl at the table to pay the check and find her own ride home. He told me she was a thieving whore, although I don't think she ever really took anything from him. That was the first and only date Seto's had."

"That's pathetic, we need to get them together somehow." Serenity places a small kiss on Mokuba's cheek as the limo pulls to a stop in front of Serenity's apartment building. "Well think about it and tell me your ideas tomorrow." Serenity says while getting out of the car, she gives Mokuba a little wink, and shuts the door.

**-&-&-&-**

**Authors Note:**

Not exactly what I wanted in this chapter, but it's very close. Next chapter we'll be introducing Seto Kaiba, as well as a few other characters who have yet to be mentioned. Please be patient, and thank you for your comments.


	3. Blind Date, Mutt

Mokuba Kaiba hurls himself into his older brother's office in Kaiba Corp. Stopping in his tracks he looks from Seto to three prospective buyers for Kaiba Corp.'s new dueling disks. Kaiba stands from behind his desk a grim look on his face, whether from being interrupted or by the three in front of him, Mokuba can't tell. Kaiba shakes his head slightly, sitting down in his high backed black leather office chair, he motions for Mokuba to come stand next to him. The younger of the Kaiba's sheepishly moves to stand next to his brother trying to match his old brother's grim look.

"Mr. Kaiba we would love to buy the rights to these Duel Monster disks that people seem so intrigued by. Gaming & Co. is very interested in expanding your idea into something-- more." A gentleman with slicked back gray hair blinks at Seto Kaiba expectantly. Having never worked with a CEO under the age of 35, he was sure he could out smart the youngster. He'd come to Domino to buy Kaiba Corporation all together, but seeing the popularity of dueling, he'd decided the rights to the gaming equipment would be enough. After looking over his own expenses he'd realized he'd never be able to buy out Kaiba.

Kaiba smirks, "You plan on bringing dueling into the United States?"

"It's very popular there already, Kaiba, I'm sure you know that. I plan on making the game something completely different, no more cards, let's make this all technological." He leans forward his glasses slipping down his nose, he pushes them back up with a chubby finger. "My associates are excited to work on this project."

"Unfortunately they will not have that chance. You see I don't like people coming into my office trying to out smart me. I don't need your business anymore than I need lice." Kaiba states curtly, Mokuba coughs trying not to laugh at his older brother's attempt at a joke.

"I think you miss understand, Mr. Kaiba…"

"I understood you perfectly, and I hope you understand me when I say this. You may leave, I don't want your business, don't come back." Kaiba stands pressing a green button on his desk. Roland, Kaiba's most trusted body guard and head of security, enters the room to escort the three men out of the room.

"Scum." Kaiba sighs as the two mahogany doors close behind Roland.

"Big brother?" Mokuba asks tentatively, wondering if now is a good time to bring up a blind date.

"What is it Mokuba?" Kaiba asks tiredly, he wants to be able to go home and sleep, but knows that he has hours of work ahead of him. Glancing at the clock on his desk he groans slightly, the numbers blink 10:45P.M. The meeting had lasted two hours longer than it had needed to.

"Do you like anyone?" Asks the younger Kaiba staring wide-eyed at his older brother.

"Mokuba this isn't the time…" Kaiba rubs a hand over his eyes, letting his cool demeanor slip just a little more. Around his younger brother he feels a little less afraid to show his few weaknesses, not matter how little. Exhaustion was on thing that he was willing to let his brother in on, although he refrained from yawning in front of Mokuba, afraid that his younger brother would hauled him to bed, afraid that he wouldn't be able to object.

"I know, but it's never the right time." Mokuba pouts crossing his arms he stands in front of Kaiba's desk.

"Not now, Mokuba." Kaiba mutters continuing working on the paper work for his new holographic duel monsters game.

Mokuba sighs frustrated, "Please tell me." He demands closing Kaiba's laptop on his hands. Kaiba looks up at Mokuba giving him a look that would have made anyone else shrink away in fear. Mokuba knew better than to be intimidated by Seto, who was only trying to get him to back off.

"What do you really want Mokuba?" Kaiba leans back in his chair looking across his desk into Mokuba big grey-brown eyes.

"I want you to go on a date, a blind date."

Kaiba shakes his head, "I don't have time to play games Mokuba. Women are a waste of time."

"I never said it's going to be a woman, and that's a sexist thing to say."

Kaiba snorts crossing his arms, he leans back in his chair, "You think I'm gay?"

"No I think you don't know and I think that I've found the perfect guy for you."

"Mokuba I'm not gay."

"Then go out with a girl." Mokuba plops down in one of Kaiba's visiting chairs, mocking Kaiba's sitting position.

"I'm not wasting my time with some fan girl that can't keep her clothes on." Kaiba stands from his place, standing behind his desk he faces the immense glass window directly behind his chair. "I have a corporation to run." He watches the few people out late on the streets of Domino, passing below his building, completely unaware of his eyes watching them.

"Please Seto? Just for an hour?" Mokuba stands next to his brother, looking at him with pleading eyes. "Just an hour, you can leave after that I promise."

Kaiba glares down at his younger brother, "Fine."

"Great, tomorrow at 6 o'clock, on the roof." Mokuba claps his hands together happily.

"On the what?" Kaiba asks staring at his younger brother confused.

"On the roof, it's a really nice view of Domino up there." Mokuba grins, pulling open Kaiba's office door to leave, "You won't regret this, I promise big brother." He adds as an after thought, slipping through the large doors, Kaiba begins to wonder what he's gotten himself into.

**-x-x-x-**

Mokuba dials Serenity's number excited to tell her the news.

"'_Ello?_"

"Hi Joey, is Serenity there?" Mokuba asks sitting on the edge of his bed he toes off his shoes.

"_Yea' hold on a sec._"

Mokuba has to hold the phone away from his ear as Joey yells, "REN!" at the top of his lungs. Which isn't really necessary since they live in a two room apartment.

"_Hello?_" Serenity's chipper voice come on the line, as Joey clicks off.

"Hey bunny, I have some really great news!"

"_Oh what's that Mokie?_" Serenity asks curious.

"I got Seto to agree to a date with Joey." Mokuba smiles laying back on his bed he stares at his ceiling.

"_He actually wants to go out on a date with Joey?_" Serenity asks completely caught off guard.

"Well not exactly, he thinks it's a blind date, although he knows it's with a guy. He never told me he was gay, but I think he is."

"_You sure he won't up and leave when he see's that his date is with Joey?_" Serenity asks nervously, afraid of her brother getting his feelings hurt. Joey might play the tough guy in front of his friends, but he had come home plenty of times after loosing a duel and cried into a pillow for hours. He'd never let his friends know that he still slept with a stuffed animal, a dog named Patch-Patch, due to all the patches that he had to be given from old age. Joey had carried Patch-Patch around since he was five and still could never get a proper nights sleep without him tucked up next to him. But Serenity knew all about his troubles and problems, and worried about her big brother constantly.

"They are going to have their date on the roof of Kaiba Corp. I'm locking the door to the elevator. Seto's going to have to deal with Joey for an hour." Mokuba pulls the key card for the roof door from his jeans pocket. He'd taken it from Kaiba's room as soon as he'd gotten home, knowing that Kaiba would most likely try to escape.

"_That's so romantic Mokie! Now I just have to convince Joey to go, when is it?_" Serenity squeals happily, she bouncing on her knees on her bed.

"Tomorrow, 6 o'clock sharp. Seto hates people being late and I think he's going to be in a extra bad mood tomorrow considering I'm locking him on the roof with Joey." Moukuba pauses for a minute in thought, "But I think that Joey will grow on him. Worst comes to worst, Seto throws himself off the roof of Kaiba Corp."

"_Mokie that's a terrible thing to say!_" Serenity says horrified by the thought.

"Don't worry bunny, he would never do anything like that. Don't worry I've got this all planned, all you have to do is make sure that Joey's ready at 5:45. I'll have my driver pick him up then. Make sure he looks his best, this is his one chance, because if Seto's not impressed…" Mokuba pauses unsure of what Kaiba would do. "Well I just don't want Joey to get hurt."

"_I'd hate for him to get hurt too, last time he got his heart broken, he refused to come out of his room for three days. He just cried and cried, it was really terrible. I don't want that to happen again, I hope Seto is kind enough to let him down easy if he isn't into Joey…_" Serenity drifts off, hoping that Kaiba has some hidden feelings for Joey.

"Well, I'd better go. I have to tell the chief the meal plan for tomorrow. I'll talk to you later bunny, love you."

"_I love you too Mokie._" Serenity makes small kissing noises into the phone, hanging up.

**-x-x-x-x-**

"You can't wear that, Joey, that's hideous." Serenity sits cross legged on Joey's unmade bed helping him pick an outfit out for tomorrow's big date. After having a long debate with Joey, she had finally convinced him to go on a date. She failed to mention that the date was with Kaiba, but figured that he'd know as soon as the limo pulled up next to Kaiba Corp. By then she hoped that it'd be to late for him to balk.

"Why t' hell not?" Joey asks looking down at his jeans and blue t-shirt. He pulls the t-shirt away from his chest looking down at it. "It's clean ain't it?" He'd picked that t-shirt because it was the newest and nicest looking out of the bunch of t-shirts he owned.

"Oh gosh Joey, you can't go on a date in jeans and a t-shirt. You're only allowed to do that if you've been dating for a while. You have to impress tomorrow." Serenity gets up looking through Joey's closet trying to find something suitable for him to wear.

"If he don' like he for who I am then fuck 'im." Joey mutters under his breath.

"At least wear this," Serenity pulls out a black button up holding it out to Joey. "And a tie, ties are always nice…"

"Fine, fine." Joey takes the shirt from her, pulling it on he looks at himself in the mirror, "I look lik' a idiot." He mutters glaring at his sister, "Come on 'Ren, don' you got any other ideas?"

"Just wear the shirt Joey, you look fine." Serenity pouts looking up at her older brother.

"Fine, but I'm not wearin' a freakin' tie."

"Fine." Serenity shrugs.

**-&-&-&-**

**Authors Note:**

So I mentioned Seto Kaiba but failed to mention any other characters that I hadn't already mentioned, sorry. Maybe in the next few chapters I'll get around it. Next chapter coming very soon, hope you're enjoying the story so far! I know Kaiba isn't exactly 'Kaiba-esc" but I'm doing my best, and I'm making Kaiba how I see him and would like him to be. I'm sorry if you don't like my interpretation.


	4. Unknown, Mutt

Serenity stands next to Joey Wheeler in the bathroom in the small apartment they share. "Joey are you sure you don't want to brush your hair out of your eyes?" Serenity asks fingering the brush, she'd asked if she could do his hair, and he'd refused. Telling her that he'd let her dress him up like a doll, but his hair was special and nobody but him got to touch it.

Serenity stares nervously at the clock in the kitchen, "Come on Joey, you've got to hurry up! Your ride is going to be here any minute."

"Yea', yea', I'm coming…" Joey comes out of his room wearing faded jeans, a black button up shirt, with the sleeve rolled to his elbows, and black dress shoes. Serenity had had to beg him to wear the shoes, telling him it made him look more gentlemanly. He didn't buy it but felt that since his sister was nice enough to get him a date, that he would oblige.

"Oh! You look very handsome Joey." Serenity claps her hands together walking around him to give him a good look over. "He's not going to be able to resist you now." She says nodding her approval.

"Who?" Joey asks batting her hand away from trying to fix his hair.

"You'll find out, you better get outside, your ride should be here now. Please give this a chance and remember that I did this because I love you." Serenity gives him a quick squeeze, before shoving him out the door. "Don't be home before 8 o'clock!" Serenity warns closing the door behind him. He hears the lock click into place. Sighing he makes his way out to the front side walk.

"Mr. Wheeler?" Roland asks as Joey descends the steps from his apartment building.

"Yea'?" Joey asks looking at the larger man who wears dark sunglasses and a neatly ironed suit. Roland holds open the door to the limo, Joey gives him a somewhat skeptical look but enters the limo. Joey sits back into the plush seat, trying to place the man who had helped him into the limo. He'd seen him before, but wasn't sure where. Joey shrugs to himself, figuring it doesn't really matter where he'd seen the man before.

**-x-x-x-**

Mokuba sits from Kaiba's swivel office chair, watching Kaiba get ready for his big date.

"So who are you torturing me with for an hour?" Kaiba asks buttoning up his black shirt. He wears black slacks, neatly creased, with black dress shoes, neatly shinned, with a new purchased white trench coat.

"Oh you'll see." Mokuba grabs his brother's arm dragging him to the elevator.

**-x-x-x-x-**

Joey looks out the tinted windows to see where the limo had stopped. Roland opens his door, giving Joey a better look at the immense building that houses Kaiba Corp.

"No ya' gotta be kiddin' me." Joey scoots back in his seat shaking his head at Roland. Roland sighs, grabbing hold of Joey's arm he drags him from the limo.

"I'm sorry sir, but Master Mokuba gave me strict orders to get you to the roof by 6 o'clock, and it's just about that."

He gently pulls Joey into the front hall of the large glass building, once in the elevator he presses one of the many buttons, giving Joey a rather apologetic look. Joey glares at him from where he stands, he'd pressed himself into the corner of the elevator farthest away from Roland.

"This is kidnappin', tha's what this is!" Joey grumbles watching the numbers change from floor to floor.

"You got in the car willingly Mr. Wheeler." Roland points out, turning ever so slightly to glance at Joey.

The elevator dings quietly announcing the arrival to the roof. Roland pulls out a key card and opens the elevator doors. With a quick shove he pushes Joey out into the open, the doors closing behind him. Joey shivers at the sudden cold, he pounds on the doors, wishing they would open.

"Should'a never come on a stupid date…" Joey mutters fiercely, he turns around to be faced by Seto Kaiba in all his glory. He sits calmly at a circular table with candles lining the balcony counter. His arms and legs crossed his cobalt blue eyes burn holes into Joey.

"Wha' ya' lookin' at you freak?" Joey demand shaking a fist at him.

"What makes you think I was looking at you mutt?" Kaiba raises a sliver glass to his lips, taking a small sip.

Joey gulps shaking his head, "You're kiddin' right? I ain't havin' dinner with you…"

"No one said you had to eat anything." Kaiba glances at the clock placed above the elevator doors, "It's 6 o'clock."

"Yea' who gives a flyin' fuck?" He stomps over to the table, he straddles the chair his arms resting on the back, he glowers at Kaiba. Picking his tall silver glass, he takes a quick gulp. Kaiba watches with mild interest as Joey, rushes over to the balcony, he spits whatever was in his mouth over the roofs edge.

"Wha' t' hell was tha'? You tryin' to kill me you fuckin' bastard?" He wipes his mouth on his sleeve, taking the neatly folded napkin on the table he wipes his tongue on it, trying to get the foul taste off.

"Never had champagne mutt? I suppose they don't serve things like that to zoo animals."

**6:05P.M**

Kaiba and Joey sit across from each other both eating steak, with a side of potatoes and gravy, collared greens, and a fancy French roll. Kaiba sits with his napkin in his lap, cutting his steak into small pieces and chewing thoughtfully, while taking small sips of champagne now and again. Joey watches him with interest, watching the way his arms flex ever-so-slightly when he cuts his food, the way he runs his tongue over his lips lightly after taking a bite…

"Do you find something amusing monkey boy?" Kaiba looks over his glass at Joey.

"Huh?" Joey coughs almost choking on his food, "Nah you're to damn borin' to find anythin' interestin'." He mutters glowering at his plate.

**6:47P.M**

"Times almost up mutt." Kaiba nods toward the clock. Joey nods letting another leaf fall from the balcony to the people below, he'd just about destroyed the plant Mokuba had placed on the middle of the table as a center piece.

"Bet'cha tha' makes you happy. Can get back to your fuckin' job." Joey mutters, he thinks about the letter in his pocket, the one that he wanted to give Kaiba, the one that he'd never have the courage to give.

Kaiba sighs, Joey had been extra quiet the whole dinner and hadn't said anything to Kaiba afterward, just kept picking at the plant.

**6:55P.M**

Joey watches the clock turn from 6:54 to 6:55, he had five minutes to get the courage to tell Kaiba. This was his chance, he turns to face Kaiba, surprised to see him watching him with his blue eyes. "Moneybags…" Joey is caught off guard by how small his voice seems, he clears his throat, "Moneybags…" His voice cracks he pauses trying to gather his thoughts.

"You're wasting my time mutt." Kaiba stands walking over to the elevator he leans against the wall, crossing his arms, he looks at the clock, 6:58P.M.

"Will ya' stop bein' a jerk for one minute?" Joey crosses his arms, he wishes that he could shrink into the ground and never come up again.

Kaiba scoffs shaking his head, "I don't need to do anything for you, mutt." He turns to the elevator doors opening. "Time to go mutt."

Joey blinks back tears that are on the verge of falling from his hazel eyes.

Kaiba watches Joey struggle with himself, wondering if he was the cause of his unhappiness. He scolds himself for caring,_ he's just a third rate duelist, who cares how he's feeling?_ Kaiba presses level 37 and "L" for Joey.

As the elevator doors open for Kaiba, Joey grabs his arm roughly. Kaiba looks down at Joey's hand with mild disgust, "What is it mutt, our times up."

"Jus' take this." Joey pulls a neatly folded paper from his back pocket of his jeans, letting go of Kaiba's arm the elevator doors close on a rather puzzled Seto Kaiba.

**-x-x-x-x-x-**

Joey decides to walk home, even though Roland offered to drive him back to his apartment. Needing time to think he takes the long route home, through the park. He wipes at the tears streaming down his face angrily. "Shoulda just said somethin'." He mutters, but after some thought, he wonders what he would have said. Joey pulls his Sidekick out of his pocket and dials Serenity's phone number, feeling the need to think out loud.

"_Hello, Serenity speaking_." Serenity's little pixie voice answers after three rings.

"'Ren it's Joey…" Joey sniffs, he sits down on a park bench, being only a few blocks from home, he could have talked to her in person, but he hates crying in front of people, so decides to stay in the park for a while.

"_Big brother what's wrong_?" Serenity's voice conveys her worry for her older brother. Hoping that his unhappiness has nothing to do with his date with Kaiba, she waves Mokuba over to listen to their conversation.

"My date was wit' Kaiba! Why'd you do tha' 'Ren?"

"_Joey I thought that it would be a good time for you two to talk, I thought it was a good idea. You know? Give you a chance to talk to him about how you feel_." Serenity looks at Mokuba who looks put out by the fact that his brother hadn't returned Joey's feelings.

"He kept lookin' at the clock, all he wanted to do was leave!" Joey wails.

"_Oh Joey… I'm so sorry. I had no idea that he'd do that. He has a bit of a problem with socializing with people, maybe next time he'll be better_?" Mokuba shakes his head at Serenity, "There might not be a next time, knowing Seto he's going to ground me for life, and I doubt he's going to be taking dating advice from me ever again. Maybe Joey should go to his office and talk to him?" Mokuba suggests. Serenity nods, "_Joey, go talk to him_."

"'Ren didn't ya' hear me? He doesn't wan' to talk to me! He told me he don't want nothin' from me. There ain't goin' to be another time! " Joey pushes his bangs out of his eyes leaning back on the bench he heaves a sigh.

"_I know but maybe you didn't show enough emotion, you do that Joey. You sometime say things and they don't come out right because you're afraid of looking to weak. Come to think_ _of it, Kaiba's a lot like that too_." Serenity sighs looking at Mokuba for help, he shrugs unsure of what to do next.

Joey's phone beeps, pulling the phone from his ear he looks to see who is calling him. "**Unknown**", blinks on the screen.

"'Ren I gotta go, someone's callin' me." Joey says his goodbye and hangs up. Pressing the connect button on his phone, he presses it lightly to his ear, "'Ello?"

"_Mutt_."

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

Kaiba looks down at the piece of paper on his desk, rereading the neat script.

"_Dear Seto,_

_I think you're sort of crazy and you wear some of the stupidest clothes, but I love you. I don't know why, or when it happened, I just do. Please love me back._

_Much Love,_

_The Mutt_."

Kaiba dials Joey's number, which he'd obtained from Mokuba's phone book. After five rings Joey picks up.

"'_Ello_?"

"Mutt." Kaiba runs his fingers over the piece of paper delicately.

"_Kaiba_?" Joey asks completely taken aback, he considers hanging up, but decides to hear what Kaiba has to say.

"We need to talk, come to my office." Kaiba taps his pen against his clean blotter.

"_Why t' heck would I come to your office, moneybags_?"

"I'd like to discuss your letter. My office, you've got 15 minutes." Kaiba hangs up. He rubs his temples, beginning to feel a migraine headache pulsing behind his eyeballs.

**-&-&-&-**

**Authors Note:**

Hm… That wasn't how I was expecting it to go to be quite honest. But I rather like the out come, I hope you do to. I didn't want Kaiba to suddenly fall in love with Joey, that's not Kaiba, and I personally hate stories that move to fast. I'm beginning to think this story is going to be about 15 chapters long, but that's all right. Hopefully you don't mind reading endlessly long stories, although anymore than 15 might be to much. Either way, tell me what you think. I hope I haven't ruined Kaiba for you, I'm trying my best to keep him like he is in the series. Thank you all so much who have posted comments, that's very kind of you. Next chapter coming soon, I hope.


	5. Secret, Mutt

Joey looks down at the rectangular phone in his hand, "Like hell I'm comin' over." He mutters angrily, he stuffs his phone back into his pocket. Sighing he starts to head back to Kaiba Corp. against his better judgment. Curiosity had always overweighed judgment, no matter how many fights and hard times it had brought him in the past.

**-x-x-x-**

Yugi glances at the clock above the sink in his kitchen, it ticks away at 7:39P.M, "Yami didn't you invite Ryou to come over? He said that he wanted to introduce us to his boyfriend."

Yami nods, clicking through channels on the television, "Ryou said they'd get here around 8:30."

"That's a little late don't you think?" Yugi asks concerned about getting to bed on time. He'd always stuck to going to bed before 10:30 believing in a good nights sleep.

Yami turns off the T.V, moving into the kitchen he watches his smaller counterpart scurry around the kitchen. "Don't worry, you'll get to bed before 10. What are you making?" He asks peaking over his friend's shoulder.

"Strawberry Angel Cake." Yugi answers proudly looking down at the large cake in his hands.

Yami snags a strawberry from the top of the cake, earning him a glare from Yugi. "Stop that. You can have some when the guests come." He places the cake on the counter, trying to make room in the fridge for it to cool. Moving the milk and a container of rice to the back of the fridge, he gently places the cake down. Straightening from this task, Yugi glances over his shoulder at Yami, who picks at a nonexistent piece of lint on his t-shirt. "Want to watch some T.V?" Yugi asks taking Yami's hand looking at him innocently.

Yami clears his throat, looking at Yugi's smaller hand grasping his own. He feels a slight pull on his arm, realizing Yugi had been trying to speak to him. He nods toward the living room, Yugi leading the way, their fingers intertwined. Yami sits closely to Yugi, unable to pull his hand free from Yugi's.

"Yugi, are you going to let go?" Yami asks a feeling of dread that he would let go.

"Would you like me to?" Yugi asks beginning to move down the couch from Yami.

"No!" Yami surprises himself with the fierceness in his words. "No." He pulls Yugi just a little closer. Yugi's mouth forms a little 'o', making Yami smile. "Is this all right?"

"Uh-huh." Yugi tucks himself comfortably up to Yami, "I like this."

"Me too." Yami murmurs afraid to ask how long it'll last, afraid that if he asks it'll end.

**-x-x-x-x-**

Kaiba watches Joey get into the elevator, through a security monitor on his desk, that they had occupied just a hour before. He stares down at the blotter on his desk, for reasons he couldn't quite grasp, his hands had begun to shake since his call to Joey. Kaiba jumps slightly at the sound of a body slamming into his office doors. Getting up quickly he moves to unlock the door.

"Wha' t' heck? Why'd ya lock t' fuckin' door?" Joey barrels into Kaiba's office rubbing his forehead.

"Civil people knock, like this." Kaiba raises a fist tapping it lightly to the door frame. "They don't teach etiquette at the pound?"

"If ya gunna be a snot then I'm leavin'." Joey wrinkles his nose, looking at it cross eyed, "Think ya broke my nose, jerk."

"It looks fine, mutt." Kaiba closes his office doors, locking them.

"Whoa, I ain't stayin' lock in here wit' ya!" Joey places a hand on the handle of the door, to have it roughly pulled away.

"I don't want any disruptions." Kaiba gives him a icy glare, letting go of his hand.

Joey gulps rubbing his hand, his palms beginning to sweat. "Wha' ya wan' moneybags?"

"I want to discuss your most amusing letter." Kaiba sits in his swivel chair, motioning for Joey to take a seat in one of the leather visitors chairs in front of his immense mahogany desk. Joey takes the seat in the middle, this way being able to look at Kaiba directly. "I can deal with you disliking my sense of style…" Kaiba pauses looking the letter over once more. "And I don't care if you think I'm crazy."

"Did ya finish the fuckin' letter?" Joey asks angrily, he snatches the bowl of mints off of Kaiba's desk.

"I wasn't finished." Kaiba snaps, "What I need to know is if you're-- how would you say it, fucking me?"

Joey chokes on a yellow mint the had just popped into his mouth. "Fuckin' ya? Fuckin' ya?" Joey snorts.

"I misspoke." Kaiba presses his fingers to his temple, wishing away his headache. "Answer the question."

"I don' even know wha' t' hell ya question was!" Joey goes back to picking through the bowl looking for the yellow and green mints.

"What you said in your letter. Did. You. Mean. It?" Kaiba grits his teeth against the pounding behind his eyes, and the rushing sound in his ears.

"No I jus' like to write stuff like tha'." Joey mutters sarcastically.

"Do not play games with me, mutt. I am not in the mood."

"Ya neve' in t' righ' mood." He looks up at Kaiba, whose eyes are tightly shut, his fingers massaging his temples. "I wasn't jokin' around." He murmurs quietly.

Kaiba opens his eyes having blots of light pop up in front of his eyes, making him blink repeatedly. "You realize how complicated you make things, don't you?" Kaiba stands from his place, he turns his back to Joey looking out the panel window behind his desk. "It won't…"

"Don' give me some bullshit speech, about us not workin' out. I ain't expectin' ya to say anythin'." Joey rubs his eyes against tears that threaten to spill down his cheeks.

Kaiba glances over his shoulder to look at Joey, "Are you crying?" He asks taken aback.

"No! I got allergies." Joey insists wiping his nose on his sleeve, he glares defiantly at Kaiba.

"Fine." Kaiba presses his hand to the cool glass of the window, "I don't want to see anything about it in the press, ever. Your idiot friends better not find out. And we will only meet here or at the Mansion." Kaiba growls after some thought.

"I think ya just asked me out." Joey mutters running his hands through his hair.

"I have work to do." Kaiba turns around to find himself unnervingly close to Joey. "What are you doing?"

Joey smiles smugly, wrapping his arms around Kaiba's neck, he pulls Kaiba closer pecking him lightly on the cheek. "I still think ya dress funny."

Kaiba clears his throat, pulling away from Joey's grasp, "Yes well, we'll discuss that later."

**-x-x-x-x-x-**

"Yami will you get the door?" Yugi pokes his head into the living room, "I'm trying to get the cake ready."

Opening the door, Yami groans, "You've got to be kidding me."

**-&-&-&-**

**Authors Note:**

I know this chapter is annoyingly short, but I had a family emergency that I needed to deal with. I hope you understand. I hope to be able to post another chapter as soon as tomorrow, but this depends on my schedule, thank you for your patience, I hope this chapter is all right. I know it's not my best work, please understand, I wrote this in about an hour. So you'll just have to deal with the sucky-ness until next time.


	6. Wake Up, Mutt

"Hello there." Ryou stands on Yugi Moto's front stoop, his hand clasping a tougher, harder, version of himself. Yami looks past Ryou and his counterpart, known as Yami Bakura people had grown to calling him Bakura for short, it had begun to snow lightly melting as soon as it hit the pavement.

"It's rude making people stand in the snow." Bakura mutters eyeing Yami with a cold stare.

"You don't look like you're dying." Yami grumbles barely moving from his spot blocking the door. Bakura rolls his eyes, dragging Ryou into the front hall of Yugi's home. "Hey! Pipsqueak, you're ass-wipe of a boyfriend wouldn't open the damn door for us." Bakura calls into the house, toeing off his shoes.

"Bakura?" Yugi peaks out of the kitchen wiping his hands on a blue dish clothe. "Oh-- both of you…" He stares in surprise at the two Bakuras standing in his hallway.

Yami pushes past Bakura roughly, "Yugi do you have an Aspirin?"

"Upstairs, in one of the white drawers in the bathroom. Do you not feel well?" Yugi asks concern flashing across his big eyes.

"I won't, give it a couple minutes." Yami mutters shuffling to the stair case.

"Yugi it's very nice to see you. I'm sure you've already figured out that Bakie and I are now seeing each other." Ryou grins at Bakura who looks rather crimson.

Bakura leans down to Ryou's level, "I told you not to call me that in public." He whispers into his ear.

Ryou pretends not to hear him, "Are you and Yami living together now?"

"No-- Well, he's taken to staying here often, but he's got a little apartment in the same building as Joey and Serenity." Yugi motions for them to join in the kitchen. They find Yami leaning against the kitchen counter sipping at a glass of cold water.

Yugi pulls Ryou over to the stove, "I have something to tell you." He mutters, as he puts water on for tea.

"Oh what it is?" Ryou asks smiling at Bakura and Yami who seem to have engaged in a very intense conversation.

"I want to ask Yami to move in with me."

"That's great Yugi! You've been dating for a very long time now, haven't you?"

"We're not dating."

"Really? But Bakie told me that he thought that the Pharaoh had the hots for you."

"He's not really a pharaoh anymore…" Yugi shrugs, "It's very odd…" He begins to tell Ryou of what Yami and he had done that afternoon. Hoping that Ryou could help him with his problem.

_**-x-x-x-**_

"So the Pharaoh is out of the box, literally and figuratively." Bakura remarks smirking, he notices the lack of Millennium Puzzle around Yami and Yugi's necks.

"Yes and you're straight as a rod." Yami waves a hand carelessly in Ryou's direction who was nodding enthusiastically at what Yugi is saying.

"Nobody likes people being snide, Yami." Bakura shakes his head.

"No one likes you, period."

"Touché." Bakura fiddles with the Millennium Ring around his neck. After he had obtained his own body, he'd considered getting rid of the ugly thing, but Ryou had insisted that it was 'special' and helped him remember how they had met. Bakura thought it was a whole lot of shit, but had a hard enough time getting Ryou to sleep with him, so he let that fight slide.

"Yami, will you get the cake out of the fridge?" Yugi pulls the kettle off the stove. Putting the tea pot on the table, he pulls four mugs from a shelf above the sink.

Yami pulls the fluffy white cake from the fridge, contemplating stabbing Bakura, after he snatches two strawberries from the top of the cake.

"That looks delicious." Ryou clasps his hands under his chin, blinking down at the cake. "It was really wonderful of you to invite us over."

"Ryou stop sucking up and sit down." Bakura pulls a chair out, sitting Ryou down. "Where is the rest of the herd? I didn't think you went anywhere without each other."

"They're all at home… it's rather late." Yugi ponders looking at the clock, 9:15P.M.

Bakura scoffs, digging into his piece of cake that Yami had placed in front of him, hoping that it would shut him up.

**-x-x-x-x-**

"That's so great!" Serenity squeals throwing her arms around Joey. They sit on his bed, coco on the bedside table. Joey had come home a half an hour before and had told Serenity what had happened while at Kaiba Corp. Serenity had demanded that he sit down and slow down due to the fact that she couldn't decipher what he was saying half the time.

"I ain't supposed to tell anyone…" Joey sips at his coco sighing.

"If he really cares about you, which I'm sure he does, then he'll have to deal with the fact that you want to share the good news with your friends." Serenity tugs on her pajama pants. "I understand that his life is like--in the media all the time. But seriously, he can't expect you not to tell people."

Joey shrugs, rubbing his eyes he yawns, "Yeah, I guess so. Let's go to bed, I'm exhausted."

Serenity smiles closing Joey's door, he'd fallen asleep before she could even say goodnight. Putting their mugs in the kitchen, she pulls her cell phone from her purse. Dialing Mokuba's number she curls up on the couch, tucking her legs underneath her.

"_You've reached, Mokuba Kaiba, messages pertaining to Kaiba Corporation, please press one, personal messages press two. Please leave your message after the beep._"

"Hi Mokie, it's 'Ren. Call me, I've got some really great news!" Serenity hangs up contemplating texting him. Hearing a knock at the door she glances at the clock, surprised that anyone would come to visit at such a late hour. Unlocking the door and pulling the chain out of it's notch, she peaks through the peep hole. Seeing Mokuba and Kaiba standing outside her door, she opens it in surprise. "Mokie, Seto, what are you doing here?" Serenity wishes that she had put on sweater or something, embarrassed by her lack of clothes, wearing only a tank top and pajama pants, she feels a little exposed in front of the older Kaiba brother.

The older Kaiba looks with slight distain around the apartment. "Seto wants to talk to Joey." Mokuba pulls Serenity into a tight hug.

"Oh." Serenity points to the door next to the bathroom, "That's his room. He's sound asleep, but I'm sure he'd like to see you."

Mokuba snickers, "Maybe Seto will finally get laid." He whispers in Serenity's ear, causing Serenity to blush.

"Mokie that is so inappropriate!"

Kaiba opens Joey bedroom door, surprised by the lack of furniture. The room is mainly taken over by a large bed in the corner, with a small closet at the end of the bed, and a bedside table. Joey lays curled up in a ball stuffed in a corner of the bed, his blond hair peaking out from under the covers. Kaiba sits on the corner of Joey's bed, making the bed groan in protest.

"Wake up mutt." Kaiba prods at the pile of blankets, hearing a moan.

"Go away… Tryin' to sleep."

"Come on mutt, wake up!" The brunet pulls the covers away from Joey's body. Kaiba regrets this move, noticing Joey's lack of shirt, his only clothes being black boxer shorts.

Joey sits up eyes still closed, he gropes around for his blankets, his hand colliding with Kaiba's chest. His eyes fly open, scooting as far away from Kaiba as possible, sitting atop his pillow. "Wha' t' hell?!" He rubs his eyes trying to blink the sleep out of them. "Are ya tryin' to give me a heart attack?" He mutters not quite processing that Kaiba is sitting on the edge of his bed. Looking up at Kaiba he pulls his covers up around him, to shield him from the cold and Kaiba's stare. "Wha' are ya doin' here at this hour?"

"I wanted to say goodnight." Kaiba says curtly.

**-&-&-&-**

**Authors Note:**

This isn't a very good chapter, I know. (And it's terribly short...) But a good friend of mine gave me this idea, so I quickly wrote this up before I had to run to the store, please don't hate it to much. Sorry about the delay, I don't have much free time on my hands right now. Thanks for all the patience and support!


End file.
